Dietary calcium inadequacy may be a contributing cause to osteoporosis for some populations. For example, a positive correlation between calcium intake and bone mass has been found across many age groups. It has been suggested that the level of calcium intake early in life directly influences the peak bone mass achieved at skeletal maturity.
Calcium can be obtained from a variety of dietary sources. Primary sources of calcium are dairy products, in particular milk, which account for 75% of the daily calcium intake while foods other than dairy products generally contribute less than 200 mg of calcium daily. However, beginning in young adulthood and continuing through later life, the general population may not consume milk in sufficient quantities to obtain needed levels of calcium. This diminished consumption can be caused by lactose intolerance as well as by the unattractiveness of milk as a drink for social occasions.
To achieve a greater consumption of calcium throughout life, more appealing alternatives to milk are needed. Such beverages must be consumed in sufficient quantities to provide nutritionally beneficial amounts of calcium. Therefore, non-dairy product beverages which comprise a milk level of calcium, 0.12% by weight, are in demand. To this end, soft drinks and fruit juice products have been devised which are fortified with calcium.
In order to save on shipping, packaging costs, and storage space, beverage premix concentrates and syrups are preferred by beverage manufacturers and bottlers. Further, bottlers, manufacturers and dispensing systems of soft drinks typically use beverage premix concentrates or beverage syrups in their processing. However, as these premixes and syrups become more concentrated, the water level decreases making it difficult to solubilize solids, such as sugars. The decreased water level, for the same reason, makes fortification with calcium extremely difficult.
Generally, beverage premix concentrates used to prepare beverages, in particularly ones containing juice, require special attention with stock rotation and storage temperatures to prevent spoiling and separation and sedimentation of suspended or solubilized solids, particularly for calcium solids. Due to the level of calcium in the premix concentrate necessary to achieve a nutritionally significant level of calcium in the finished product, the precipitation of insoluble calcium salts, particularly at high temperatures is a significant problem. Stability at high temperatures, greater than about 85.degree. F. (29.degree. C.), preferably greater than about 90.degree. F. (32.degree. C.), is particularly important for unrefrigerated storage, storage in warehouses without climate control, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical environs, and for storage near heat sources such as those found in commercial kitchens.
Another concern in developing a calcium supplemented single strength beverage is achieving a balanced blend of flavor and clean mouth feel without lingering flavor or unpleasant aftertaste. The inclusion of high levels of calcium can impart significant "chalky" and/or "biting/burning" mouthfeel sensations. Also, the inclusion of chloride ion can impart a salty and/or bitter note to the flavor. In addition to providing consumer acceptable taste, the beverage needs to be visually appealing to the consumer. The inclusion of significant levels of insoluble calcium often produces a cloudy, opaque beverage with sediment. All of these concerns are further complicated by the low level of solubilizing water and high solids content in beverage premix concentrates and syrups.
It is the object of the present invention to provide beverage premix concentrates and beverage syrups which are nutritionally supplemented with up to about 60 times milk level calcium, typically from about 10 times to about 58 times milk level calcium, and are stable i.e., free from calcium precipitates or sugar crystals, at high temperatures, greater than about 85.degree. F. (29.degree. C.) and preferably greater than about 90.degree. F. (32.degree. C.). It is another object that single strength beverages prepared from the premix concentrates or syrups have consumer acceptable taste and mouthfeel as well as provide visual appeal.